When one comes to the quality of the bunkers and other hazards we pass into realm of much dispute and argument. Primarily bunkers should be sand bunkers purely, not composed of gravel, stones or dirt. Whether this or that bunker is well placed, has caused more intensely heated arguments outside of the realms of religion, than has ever been my lot to listen to. C.B. MACDONALD
Available via Amazon (US): Golf Architecture For Normal People
Barnes And Noble (online and in stores)
Bookshop.org option to support local independent bookstores.
Reviews:
"Golf Architecture for Normal People . . . should be required reading for those who are not ashamed to admit they know little about the subject, and for those who think they do . . . . Golf course architecture geeks have trouble slimming their thoughts down to bite-sized chunks, but Shackelford has achieved a remarkable success here." —Independent (Ireland)
"From the relative newcomer who’s slowly getting hooked to those that have played the game for most of their lives and think they know a thing or two, Golf Architecture for Normal People provides a solid and sober perspective that will help everyone recognize why some golf courses are worth playing more than once while a single trip around others is all you’re ever likely to want or need." —Links Magazine.
“It’s a wonderful book. An easy read that arrives just in time for your summer reading list. If you’ve never thought about how an appreciation for course design could heighten your enjoyment of the game, you must check this out.”—The Peterborough Examiner
"As in his prior publications, in his newest book Shackelford shows a deep appreciation for what can be done to create a golf course that appeals to the broadest possible golfing audience…Shackelford’s prose is succinct, often witty, and accessible."—Cape Gazette
"Author, blogger and golf architecture expert Geoff Shackelford, who helped Gil Hanse design Rustic Canyon and restore 2023 U.S. Open host Los Angeles Country Club, taps into his passion by creating a guide that helps every golfer understand the nuances of course design. Published by Tatra Press, the 164-page hardcover book is a must-read for every golfer to better understand the game they love." —Golf Pass
"Shackelford provides an informative picture [and]...sprinkles in history lessons about those who planted the game's architectural roots, defines common terms and helps you hone your eyes when it comes to identifying some of the tricks of the trade."—FORE Magazine
"This new book does a great job demystifying golf course design ideas for average players, but can also be a beneficial read fro PGA Professionals and other golf course employees to get a better understanding of their home courses." —PGA Magazine
When Views Take Priority Over Sound Architecture
/Billy Horschel Apologizes For His U.S. Open Antics
/Still a big post-U.S. Open topic of conversation was Billy Horschel's on-course antics even as he was torching the place with a strong final round.
While Horschel calmed down to make some more eloquent post-round comments about the U.S. Open greens, most took notice of his on-course boiling over.
At the Travelers Championship, Horschel apologized and also revealed that he had a long chat with Mike Davis to explain his views.
ESPN.com's Jason Sobel reports.
"We talked about my comments; he totally understood them," Horschel said of the conversation. "He admitted that the greens weren't what they wanted and he was sorry for that. He knew the greens were at a level that the USGA wasn't happy with and said that if they ever go back there, they know what to do."
Their conversation lasted "about 15-20 minutes" and never got contentious. In fact, Horschel suggested that it was just the opposite, two men having a respectful discussion with each understanding the other's viewpoint a little better afterward.
Here's the viewpoint: Mike thought Billy acted like a jerk, Billy thought the greens stunk. All better now!
Shark To Gary Player: I'll Take That Lie Detector Test
/In the wake of Gary Player's anti-Chambers Bay, anti-USGA golf ball rant last Saturday in which he inferred that the Fox announcers touting the course couldn't pass a lie detector test, The Great White Shark has finally seen the Player comments (quick on the hip take our Shark is) and he says he'd be happy to take a lie detector test.
Great to know Norman is a big fan of Robert Trent Jones' work, even if he thinks it's heather-light.
The rebuttal Tweet...about four days too late:
Video: Fallon Mocks Tiger, Chambers Bay Greens
/The 2015 U.S. Open Covers...
/Jordan Spieth's second straight major somehow bumped the NBA Draft Preview or the The Deflategate Appeal Preview off of Sports Illustrated! Woohoo!
The covers from the 2015 U.S. Open...
RTJ On Gary Player: “He has not demonstrated an ability to design courses of championship quality."
/Falling Out Of A Tree And Crushing The U.S. Open "Brand"
/Jordan Spieth, The 18th Hole And His Sense Of History
/Jordan Spieth's shot for the ages at Chambers Bay's par-5(!) 18th hole might have been underappreciated a bit in light of Dustin Johnson's three-putt just moments later. Standing behind the shot and not having seen the coverage until this Fox highlight package at the :50 second mark, it's striking (A) how good the shot was, (B) how close it came to being an albatross, (C) how good the sound was in hearing him beg for the right bounce and (C) how mind-numblingly atrocious the announcing was for such a historic moment. I know Jason Day was (heartbreakingly?) out of it at this point, but sheesh Shark!
Brian Wacker at PGATour.com wrote about Spieth's win and covered many facets, including the 280-yard three-wood:
“I hit it right on the middle of the face and I looked up and it was bleeding right, I just asked for the wind to hold it up just a little bit,” Spieth said. “And it looked like it did, just on the last second it stayed out of going in that bunker and instead found the rebound and stayed up on the top ledge. In midair I was going to be pleased anywhere on the green. And then with the roar I knew it stayed on the top ledge. I'm sitting there thinking, how in the world did it stay up, but I guess it was just my day.”
And his week.
Where the ball landed on the green was the same spot that he’d hit it during a practice round with his coach Cameron McCormick and caddie Michael Greller, who had the experience of about 40 loops around Chambers Bay during summers when he was a sixth grade math and sciende teacher at nearby Narrows View Intermediate School before circuitously landing on Spieth’s bag at the start of his career.
The highlight of his post round press conference, no doubt, was the talk of St. Andrews and the appreciation of history Spieth has on his side.
Doug Ferguson covered this angle.
Spieth was a freshman at Texas when he first went to St. Andrews with the rest of the Walker Cup team. They played the Old Course, soaked up the vibe at the home of golf and then headed north for their matches at Royal Aberdeen.
“It’s one of my favorite places in the world,” Spieth said Sunday evening. “I remember walking around the R&A clubhouse and seeing paintings of royalty playing golf, and it was dated 14-whatever. I’m thinking, our country was discovered in 1492 and they were playing golf here before anyone even knew the Americas existed.”
That was only four years ago, when not many outside golf circles knew Spieth. He’ll get more attention next time he arrives at St. Andrews.
With his appreciation on record or for that matter, the mere image of Spieth looking at R&A clubhouse paintings and appreciating how long the game had been played at St. Andrews, he'll have Fleet Street on his side as the quest for a Grand Slam gets going.
James Corrigan in the Telegraph notes the making of a perfect setup.
The scene is set up perfectly. Spieth and McIlroy hold the four majors between them going into the event and that has not happened since 1972 with Jack Nicklaus and Lee Trevino. On that occasion, Trevino denied Nicklaus the treble by a shot. Spieth is determined to avoid the same fate.
Kevin Garside in the Independent:
He could not have imagined then as a 17-year-old boy that he would return as a history-maker at the centre of what might yet be the greatest golfing story ever told. Even Rory McIlroy is starting to look passé at 26. Woods, who’s he?
“Fifty years from now, they’re going to look back and say, ‘Do you remember the end of this 2015 U.S. Open"
/U.S. Open Ratings: Up From '14, Plunge Vs. West Coast Opens
/Francesa Rant Fox's U.S. Open Telecast: “They’re in kindergarten. The other guys are in graduate school.”
/While collecting a few thoughts on Fox Sport's golf debut, it's clear there is not enough time to go through all of the issues.
But Mike Francesa's rant about sums things up on the telecast side of things for me, particularly his fuming about the split screen of Jason Day walking as Rory McIlroy was making a huge charge. I'm not sure if they were hoping to see if Day could survive the walk from 3 to 4, or maybe a button was stuck in the truck, but it was a low point of the day right after the missing blimp views of shots at 18 or the lack of a Jordan Spieth cam in scoring as he watched Dustin Johnson's tournament winning three-putt.
Here's Francesa:
Poll: Should The U.S. Open Return To Chambers Bay?
/Instant Poll: Your Overall Sense Of The 2015 U.S. Open?
/Insulated here at Chambers Bay and mostly looking to Twitter for feedback, it's tricky to evalute a tournament week and easy to merely declare it a success because it ended on Sunday night with a great winner.
Still, let's keep it simple: your overall sense of the 2015 U.S. Open week. (We'll talk TV and the future for Chambers Bay later as I have some opinions on those fronts.)
So vote and comment away...